Summary: Social Media websites are one of the fastest growing segments of the Internet. With user numbers increasing daily, the way that people use these sites is always evolving and broadening. As more and more users turn to the net as a primary source of news – especially breaking news – strong consideration has to be given as to how this technology can be effectively utilized as a means of notifying people of essential information in a crisis situation. This brief analyzes the positive impacts social media can have on the ability to disseminate emergency notifications, the potential pitfalls that exist, and steps for creating an effective social media presence to be used in an emergency situation.

Rationale: Why social media can be important for emergency notification

High usage rates: According to a study published by Nielsen in June 2010, one in every four-and-a-half minutes spent online is spent on social media websites ii. This number is a drastic increase over the past few years, and the growth shows no signs of slowing. As these numbers increase, additional studies are showing that users are turning to social media sites as a primary source of breaking news and up to the minute information.

Anecdotal evidence also exists of users flocking to social media sites during times of crisis. Two often-cited examples of this are the increases in Twitter usage during the protests of the 2009 Iranian elections, and the rapid spread of photos and information across Twitter and Facebook immediately following the landing of U.S Airways’ Flight 1549 on the Hudson River, the gas main explosions in San Bruno [CA], and the extreme winter weather in the Great Lakes region.

Viral Spread of Information: In a crisis situation, people are constantly looking for the newest and most up-to-date information. Social media networks allow for nearly instant delivery of such information. The nature of social media is that users share information with other users when they determine that it is of value or interest to those they are connected with via social media.

Always Connected – According to another Nielsen report, smart phones are expected to surpass standard feature phones Americans use by the end of 2011. iii This means that half of all cell phone users will have access to social media, virtually everywhere they go by the end of next year. When coupled with the ongoing upgrades of US Mobile networks to fourth-generation technology (4G), a move expected to decrease the occurrence of network overloads , even in times of high network demand, means a large portion of the American populous can be reached wherever they are.

Benefits social media provides in emergency notification

- Viral messages are repeated again and again – The nature of social media is for users to spread information to each other. When a message is of value or importance, social media users will share that information with their followers, almost instantly.

- Opportunity for multiple “credible” spokespeople – People don’t always trust the same information sources. With the nature of viral messages being forward and reposted, it is more likely the users will get the necessary information from a source they trust and will listen to.

- Ability to measure sentiment – Through traditional methods of message delivery – including radio, TV and print, messages were always one-way, leaving the senders to assume the messages were being received and obeyed. Via social media channels, users often add commentary to messages when they share them, which allows the agency responsible for the spreading the information the ability to see instant public reaction to the information and know if the people are complying with directions.

- Intel gathering – Emergency managers can leverage social media networks as force multipliers to gain valuable information from street levels all the way to a strategic view, i.e. The Crisis Kitchen after the earthquake in Haiti.

- Ongoing contact which can improve preparedness prior to a crisis – In order to be an effective channel in a crisis, agencies responsible for issuing emergency notifications will need to establish effective and interesting social media profiles prior to the crisis.

Threats and challenges present in social media

- Gaining followers before a crisis – If not adequately established prior to the time it is needed in an emergency, a social media presence will be ineffective in disseminating emergency information.

- Once message is released, it can be manipulated – While having other users repeat information is one of the key benefits of social media, it also presents the risk of users clouding the message with incorrect information.

- Some channels limit the length of message, leading to the possibility of incomplete information – Twitter messages are limited to 140 characters, which might not be enough room to effectively deliver the message. One potential way to overcome this issue is to create a website that serves as the hub of your social media activity offers the ability to post messages of any length.

- Potential for network overload during a crisis as networks are being upgraded – The previously mentioned, forthcoming 4G networks still have very limited penetration in the US. Currently only the largest cities have 4G coverage. Major cell phone carriers are in the process of upgrading their networks to this new technology. Currently though, the existing wireless data infrastructure is susceptible to overload during times of high demand, which could include emergency situations.

- Users are in charge on social media – There is no way to “create” a viral message. No one can guarantee that users will share information on social media. But, when users determine that a message has value, they will share it with others.

Steps for implementing Social Media for emergency notification

Social Media does require an ongoing commitment to ensure that your channels are functional when needed in a crisis situation. This requires establishing a solid base of followers through social media channels prior to the time they are needed. There are varied approaches to establishing an effective social media profile, but one thing is certain: content that is valuable to users will increase the reputation and the ability to connect for any social media profile.

Basic strategy for creating a social media presence:

- Create a blog or another website where content can be frequently updated
o Topics for content might include emergency preparedness, planning for a crisis, or other relevant information
o This site will act as the hub of all social media activity, and traffic from the social media profiles will be directed here
o Allow viewers a place to engage and/or comment on this site
- Create agency profiles on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social networking sites
o Share links to your blog content via these channels
o Share links to other relevant information from other websites
o Share relevant information from other posters
o Engage other users by posting to their profiles
o Respond to any and all queries posted to the profile

To be successful in social media, the agency needs to make itself a valuable member of the community. While there are specific goals that the agency is trying to achieve through social media channels, if the only focus is on those goals, and if the shared content is not valuable to others, users will not choose to engage with the agency’s profile. Without engaged users, there will be no audience to help share a message in the case of an emergency.

i http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/social%20media
ii http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/online_mobile/social-media-accounts-for-22-percent-of-time-online
iii http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/consumer/smartphones-to-overtake-feature-phones-in-u-s-by-2011/
iv http://www.mobilemarketer.com/cms/news/software-technology/2972.html